Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-01-29
LIFTED UP TENDERLY.
Fallen Women Who Have Been Re-
claimed Through Christian Charity.

\
THE WORK OF THE HOPE AND HELP NIssIoN-AN
OLD OFFICER GIVES INSTANCES WHERE REFORN
HAS BEEN PRRNANENT-woMEN WHO HAVE RE-
GAINED THEIR LOST PLACES IN SOCIETY.
Lieut.. Amiss OF the first police precinct, within
which reside many OF the women OF the class the
Hope and Help Mission proposes to reach said to a
reporter: ''This project has my sympathy, and
trust the ladies will be sustained. am glad to
say that the people In the Division. even the
more hardened. respect them and that they have
| already met with some success Within a week
some half dozen have gone TO the mission and ex-
pressing desire to reform have been furnished
| with temporary home. One poor girl but few
weeks from home has found this place OF refuge
and the mistress OF one OF the houses walked in a
few DAYS ago and stated I'm done I'm tired OF the
life have been leading, and VIII stay here IL you
Will keep me till can find something to do.
There are Others" said the lieutenant, "who are
ready 10 follow her example, and If the managers
OF the mission succeed I'm finding homes for those
| who have come to them there is but little doubt
that they will do power OF good"
one OF the lady managers OF the Mission states
that up to Wednesday OF this week, eleven women
have been received at the Home, some OF whom
| have professed religion, and for four OF them
| homes have been found in private families.
| FORMER ATTEMPTS OF THE SAME KIND.
| ''ThiS Is not the first time" said survivor Of
the old police force OF thirty years ago, to q STAR
reporter "that an effort has been made to reclaim
fallen women" He was speaking of the Hope and
Help mission.
''fiave you" asked the reporter, any knowledge
OF cases where such women have been perma-
| nently refOrmed?"
81 have In my minds eye, without any effort to
recall them" was the answer, ''sX or seven cases
the ,ar women ZEN now occupy good positions having
| know OF other cases where the poor creatures
made honest efforts TO reform but failed Thirty
formed society, the objects OF which were partly
| the reclamation OF this class OF women. There
are e.,, doubt,ess number OF erEing ones who
| would gladly embrace an opportunity to reform,
and, encouraged, they would make their
| reformation success The attempt to aid them
| Is certainly conmendable. The capital necessary
for the enterprise Is Christian charity and pen-
tiful supply OF IL. III such girl should come out
OF a haunt Of vice. she should be taken by the
hand and helped, and she should be placed amid
such surroundings as to make her forget her past
life. i have known some who. upon entering
family, conducted themselves with so much pro-
prety as to win the respect of all with whom they
were brought in contact, and finally to marry and
Make true, ai1eetionaJe wives Ihere Is to-oay
in one OF the leading western cities, and She Is
now communicate OF one OF our Churches be-
iieve Christian woman. She has won the re-
spect or her neighbors and the poor bless her. for
she Is continually doing good. Yet IL many OF her
fellow church members knew her history they me-,
must ask me no questions, Toy no money would
induce me to divuige her name. Ignorance Is
Der. The experiment is well worth trying, even If
the results be small, and it is not impossible, by
JudlclolS management To accomplish much gOOQ-"
SOME NOTABLE INSTANCES.
'sDo you know Of many such woman who are
living respectable hves?" asked the reporter.
''There are number, and might say consider
able number" said the ex-officer, 81 have known
to live for years respectable lives Why some years
f b Of P 'ds e ho;,s Ia cs1
he was visiting. Efforts were made to break him,
but without success. His family, which was very
wealthy, used every means in their power to break
off his infatuation, and endeayored to allure him
TO Europe, but without success. The result was
that he was lawfully married to the woman, and
she sold out her establishment, came to tins city,
and lived, as far as / could judge, respectable
life. making the young man an excellent wife.
the city in which she lived who settled
here over twenty-five years ago. A prom
inent business man here formed her ac-
qualntance and fairly worshipped her. He
offered her his heart and a home and she ac-
cepted, married him and when he brought her
here and introduced her. his friends and rela-
lives were surprised that he had succeeded in WIN
ming such modest, unaSSuming and handsome
woman. Then we have instances OF two or three
forming within few years past. II it is possible
1or the head OF such establishments to reform
there Is certainly chances II announcement Is
given for the Others to reform
SAVED By MINISTER.
''Some years ago." the Old officer went on, ia
minister from a distance OF six or seven hundred
miles visiting this city was the means of reclaim
ing one girl from diSreputable house. and she is
telling his NAME" said the old man. land would do
so, fOr he deserves be hOnored but tt would not
be proper to lead to the Identification of the girl
The facts are simply that the clergyman, being ON
a visit here, was seized with a desire to see the
dark side Of Washington, and after comforting
ith soe neIs one night IN company
on tour OF observation Towards midnight they
reached a bagniO In the nefghborhOOd OF 18th and
ID streets. Here one OF the inmates, vivactOus
young girl OF not over II years, who displayed
talent TOT music, attracted the minister's atten-
ton The more he noticed her the more pity he
her and asking her name; said that he
was sorry that one so young and
gifted had entered upon such course Of life and
asked why she did not leave it. .'Show me an op-
porJunity," she said, and will leave it, but where
can go? who win give me homer 81 Will" said
the minister, IL you win indeed leave it? Indeed
WILL, replied she with emphasis but have some
debts must pay first. Unjust be honest to the
amount due by her, how long it would take her to
leave, etc. and the result was he arranged to nav
her Indebtedness and that she should pack her
clothing, and at Z: 80 O'Clock the following morn
| ing come to his stopping place to breakfast. He
promised that she should receive cordial well
come. that no questions would be asked and when
he returned home he would take her with him.
She gladly accepted this offer and at once with
Drew and made her preparations to leave the
o'clock she alighted from the carriage ut the house
where the minister was stopping, re-
tasted with the family. In FEW
days the minister left for his distant home,
taxing ner WITH MIN. This incident had well nigh
faded out OF the minds OF those who heard it when
letter was received by one OF them from the
minister 10 the effect that the young woman was
still an Inmate OF his house; that she had proved
herself most useful and capable, and that she was
thoroughly reformed and q Christian girl He
further said that She was the recipient OF letters
from young man in this city, who had also writ
ten TO him asking his consent to marrying her:
and he asked information as to the young man
To make a long story short, inquiries were made
the answers were satisfactory. The minister
gave his consent to their union, with the prOytsO
that they should settle where he resided and That
he wanted the young man to get into business
The young man at once accepted these terms left
the city, was quietly married to the girl and they
with their children, are attendants now OF the
church OF their benefactor."
| HOW BADGE SAVED GIRL
"By the way, said the veteran there IS one
case forgot TO mention. Some thirty years ago a
prominent politician from the west found in a
house on 18th street a handsome but delicate
young girl, native OF this city, wearing the in
asked where she obtained the badge and she re-
piled that It had belonged to her deceased father
Then said he, you will have to get out OF this
| business at once and he Immediately took her
from the house, and soon as she fitted herself
with proper clothing sent her TO leading eSluca-
tionai institute IN the north, where after three
( years she graduated with honOrs. Immediately
afterwards he married her. Since that time the
gentleman has filled high positions under the gov
eminent, served several terms in Congress and
his wife has been welcome visitor in the leading
families"
7 SHAuD hi A.